NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 14 — The High Court in Kibera has declined to release on bond three suspects accused of murdering Kasipul Member of Parliament Charles Ong’ondo Were, citing potential witness interference and threats to public safety.
Were was gunned down on April 30, 2025, at around 7:40 p.m., near the City Mortuary Roundabout along Ngong Road in Kilimani, Nairobi County.
In a ruling delivered on Thursday, Lady Justice Diana Kavedza denied bail to William Imoli, Edwin Odour Odhiambo, and Ebel Ochieng, after the prosecution convinced the court there were compelling reasons to keep them in custody.
“The prosecution asserts that key witnesses are close relatives and acquaintances of the accused. These witnesses have reportedly expressed fear for their safety and are currently under witness protection, which itself suggests a serious perceived threat,” Justice Kavedza said.
She added that the seriousness of the charges, the relationship between the accused and witnesses, and the alleged coordinated nature of the offence heightened the risk of interference.
The court also took note of an incident on June 3, 2025, when the accused allegedly made threatening remarks in court.
The judge described the statement as “an egregious manifestation of calculated and malicious intent to instill fear” among witnesses, court officers, and investigators.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had applied on June 16 for the accused to be denied bond, citing the likelihood of witness tampering, the risk of absconding, and threats to public order.
While three suspects were denied bail, the court scheduled a bond hearing for September 22, 2025, for two other accused persons — Isaac Kuria Chege and Allan Omondi Ogola.
According to an affidavit filed by a homicide investigator from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the firearm used to kill the legislator was recovered from Odour Odhiambo.
Investigators allege Imoli drove the vehicle that trailed the MP from Parliament, with phone data placing him at the precincts for much of the day.
Ochieng is accused of procuring a phone and fraudulently registering a SIM card allegedly used to coordinate the attack before it was disposed of.
All five suspects were charged afresh after the DPP moved to consolidate two separate cases initially filed at the Kibera and Milimani Law Courts.
